The Royal Astronomical Society presents Captain Cook and the Transit of Venus 1769 a talk by club member and historian Gary Little tonight (Friday) at the Sunshine Coast Art Centre.
One of the rarest solar system events occurs when the planet Venus passes between the Earth and the sun and is visible as a small black disc transiting across the face of the sun. Capt. James Cook was engaged to travel to the Pacific Ocean to observe and record the 1769 transit of Venus, an important measurement for determining the size of the solar system.
In this talk Little will discuss why Cook was selected to make this important measurement and highlight some of the activities that made him one of the most important explorers of all time. In addition, David Thompson will describe the more technical aspects of the Transit of Venus, the upcoming transit on June 5, 2012, how you can observe it and why it is an event that has attracted the attention of astronomers for hundreds of years.
There will be a short meeting at 7:30 p.m. followed by the presentation. Everyone is welcome to attend. Donations are gratefully appreciated.
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